1.23 Kimi and Olga

Slim Novel 1 - http://adventuresofkimi.blogspot.com - See Homepage

23: At Home

For Kimi it is a happy time. Her duties are easy because of her training and the Army comfort girl experiences, and her fees make her more independent.

  The sex is only a part and that the least for her. More important is conversation with educated men – diplomats, reporters, business men. Gradually she picks up languages – not perfect but more than smatterings. Also ideas and readings come her way. Soon she is studying English helped by Olga.

  With Vronsky, Kimi feels she has come home. In contrast to other men, he does not make a sexual play; and he calls her “dearest daughter”, even arranging a Russian church naming, “Katyusha,” a name not without significance considering the Tolstoy heroine.

  In Olga, Kimi discovers the girl-pal she missed. Olga, enveloped in Paris perfumes, comes to Kimi’s room upstairs mornings. “Darling!” she cries. “Another uproarious, glorious day!” and engulfs Kimi with embraces and kisses. Olga is very physical when she likes someone but also emotionally cold and flippant in her talk which is full of Americanism jazz terms. She wants no deep emotional ties – she is a no-strings girl – sublimates all her feelings to her artistry.

  Olga dresses in latest Paris style, and soon Kimi does too. She drives with Kimi around Mukden in a red jaguar open car, shopping high fashion, sipping cappuccino coffee, spooning glacé desserts in sidewalk cafés and lunching at chic international restaurants. Kimi loves Olga’s special fragrance – mimosa – and the way Olga taps her on shoulder and shrieks “See! What did I tell you!”

  Then a change - the swerve .

                     To read next, click 1. (24-27) The Swerve